Contents tagged with Zapad 2017

  • Turchynov: Russia’s divisions are capable of invading Ukraine in 2-3 hours

    Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, considers it possible that the joint Belarusian-Russian “Zapad 2017” military exercises could be preparation for an offensive operation by Russia.

    He made a statement to this effect during his speech which was broadcast by TV channel 112 Ukraine.

    “A group of Russian ground forces is already deployed along the national borders of Ukraine, which includes up to 50,000 soldiers, not counting the …

  • Ukrainian Defense Ministry concerned over Belarus' and Russia's plan to hold military exercises later this year

    The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is concerned about the impending Russian-Belarusian Armed Forces Zapad-2017 joint military exercise, as stated by the First Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, Ivan Rusnak, during a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller.

    "The situation in the area of the antiterrorist operation [the Donbas] remains tense. In addition, the strategic exercises of the Russian and Belarusian armed forces Zapad-2017, which will be held this autumn, are cause …

  • Lukashenko said NATO observers will be allowed to attend joint Russian-Belarusian exercises

    The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that the joint Belarusian-Russian exercise "Zapad-2017" will have purely defensive objectives so the representatives of NATO should be allowed to observe them. BelTA reports that he made the statement during consideration of the report on organizing joint strategic exercises between the Armed Forces of Belarus and Russia.

    "I demand cooperation from all of you so that this event on our country’s territory remains transparent. All activities …

  • US battalion was deployed to Lithuania on a permanent basis

    The presence of American troops in Lithuania is virtually permanent, said Curtis Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO.

    “We have forces here here 365 days a year. I want some flexibility on that, so it may not be [permanent deployment] but it will be nearly that if not that because of the forces we have,” Scaparrotti told reporters on Thursday.

    He noted that the rotation of the US battalion in Lithuania would take place in June and July, and the division would take part in the “ …

  • Russia refuses to inform NATO about upcoming military exercises

    Russia is not yet prepared to brief NATO on the upcoming military exercises, said Andrey Kelin, Director of the Department of European Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an Interfax interview on Monday.

    “We have not yet moved forward in establishing our relations to the extent that we can take steps such as the prospective explanation of such situations,” Kelin said, commenting on the words of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who expressed the hope on Monday …